Shadows Of Forever
by Melissa Mendelson
Summary: A list of names opens the jar to conspiracy, and a hunter is on the loose, bloodthirsty for the blood hungry. And only one stranger may keep the shadows from falling over the moonlight.
1. Chapter 1

Footsteps thundered through an alleyway. Dark shadows flickered against concrete walls. Moonlight slipped in and out of clouds. A cold wind was blowing, and the sound of the chase was carried off into the night. And long moments passed before being followed by a gut-wrenching scream.

Red cinders fell gently to the ground. Dark shoes stepped around a small pool of blood. A glint of a long, sharp knife was tucked away into its sheath. Cold eyes took in the night as a lid was popped open, and gasoline was poured downward. And after a long drag, the cigarette was plucked from a thin smile and dropped onto the body, enveloping it in fire. A look of satisfaction crossed a dark face, and an arm was pressed against the chest in attempt to stop its wound from bleeding. And as the fire continued to rage, the shadow silently slipped away.

"What do we have?"

ADA Benjamin Talbot slipped under the yellow police tape. He surveyed the crime scene before him. His attention turned to the charred remains of a body and then a small pool of blood nearby. A knot turned in his stomach, but he pushed the feeling to the side. But he knew something wasn't right.

"Hey, Talbot." Lieutenant Carl Davis turned toward him. "It's disturbing, I know." He understood the look on the ADA's face. "No id. Nothing, but the coroner believes that this… Person was decapitated before being set on fire."

"What about the blood?" Talbot tried to keep his voice steady, but that knot was twisting hard. "Is it the victim's or their attacker?"

"We're having the lab test it now." Davis spied Beth Turner and Mick St. John entering the crime scene. "We should have the results soon."

"Keep me posted." He watched Davis walk away.

"Beth. St. John. Any reason why you two are here?" Davis crossed his arms over his chest. "There's not much of a story here to report on." His attention fell on Beth.

"Well, we were in the neighborhood anyway and heard about what happened here last night." Beth gave the lieutenant a small smile.

"Maybe we could help."

"I doubt that." Davis turned toward Mick, and he knew that these two were not going to go away. "Fine." He let a long sigh. "This better not make the news."

"It won't." Beth glanced at Mick before following Davis over to the remains.

"Late last night, one witness reported a woman being pursued by a big man."

"A big man?" Mick stared down at the remains.

"That was all the description that we could get. The man pursued the woman here, and the witness called 911. Before the first squad car could arrive on the scene, it was all over."

Kneeling down toward the body, a thick smell of sulfur filled Mick's nose, and he began to choke. He stumbled backward as Beth went to help him, but he signaled that he was okay. Stumbling to his feet, he tried to clear his throat, but that taste of sulfur lingered in his mouth. "Sulfur."

"What?" Davis leaned down toward the body and slowly sniffed near the remains. "It's faint, but you're right. How'd you know that was sulfur?"

"He just does." Beth laid a hand on Mick's shoulder. "You alright?" She watched him slowly nod.

"Lieutenant," an officer called to Davis.

"Excuse me." Davis walked away from them.

"She was a vampire." Mick noticed Talbot approaching. "I'm okay." He wiped his eyes.

"Horrible sight." Talbot looked at the body before staring at them. "Who would do such a thing?"

"I don't know, but I think it's personal."

"What makes you say that?" Talbot looked at Mick.

"Just the way she was murdered." He noticed the small pool of blood nearby. "She put up one hell of a fight before she died." He leaned down near the red water. "He was too strong." He was tempted to sniff the blood, maybe taste it, but Talbot was watching.

"Think it's the attacker's blood?"

"Yes." Mick stood up. "Did the lab results come back?"

"No. Not yet, but I do have a question. What's your interest in this case, St. John?"

"No interest, but I like to offer my help with the investigation."

"Well, I think we got it covered." He looked at Mick and then at Beth. "Okay?"

"Okay." Mick led Beth away from the crime scene.

"What do you think?" Beth looked over her shoulder to see that Talbot was still watching them.

"I don't know yet." Mick rubbed his jaw. "Someone knew a lot to kill one vampire." His brow creased. "I think something's up, but I don't know what yet. I need to talk to Josef."

"I'll go with you."

Talbot watched Mick and Beth drive away from the crime scene. His eyes moved over to the body, and that knot grew tighter. He remembered the list of names and wondered if this woman was on that list, but he didn't want to say anything yet. He needed more time for his investigation especially with Mick St. John being one of those names.

**II**

"You're sure it was a vampire?"

Standing before a large window, Josef gazed out at the view. He loved looking at the city from this height. It did give him a sense of power, but it also gave him a feeling of connection. And it was something that he had lost a long time ago, and even the drink in his hand hardly gave him comfort as it once did. "You're sure?"

"I'm sure, Josef." Mick stood a distance behind him near Beth. "I just don't know why someone would go through all that trouble to kill one of us."

"Does it matter?" His gaze shifted from Mick to Beth. "There's something different about you two?" He took a step toward them, but Mick stepped in front of Beth. "I see." A soft chuckle escaped his mouth. "Good for you." He raised his glass in a toast to Mick before polishing off the remains of the drink. "It's about time." He stared at the now empty glass.

"This isn't about me, Josef."

"You're right, Mick." He glanced over at Beth. "I'm sorry." He smiled at the red color rising in her face. "Now, what about this witness, who claimed to see the whole thing go down?"

"I don't know. Davis was very tight-lipped about it." Beth cleared her throat. "I could do some digging."

"That would be great because if you could find the witness, it might lead to some answers." Josef placed the empty glass on his desk. "Otherwise, we're at a… Dead-end."

"Unless another vampire is murdered." Mick and Josef exchanged looks.

"If she was a vampire, why didn't she turn to ash?"

"Because, my dear, if you pump a vampire full of sulfur, it would prevent our bodies from turning into ash. Like Mick said, someone knew a lot to kill a vampire." A sigh slipped from his lips. "There is something to this, something that I don't like. I would be careful, both of you."

"You too."

Josef watched them leave his office. His finger lingered over the empty glass. Slowly, he moved over to his desk and sat down in the large, leather chair. He pushed a few papers aside until he found what he was looking for. A sad look crossed his face as he leaned back in his seat and stared at the list with Mick St. John's name on it.

**III**

Time dragged its feet like it did so many days. Paperwork piled up on the desk. The phones never stopped ringing. People walked by him without a hello or glance, and some even bumped into his chair. Luckily, there was only a few minutes left before lunch.

"Hey, Green."

A moan nearly slipped out, but he caught himself. The last thing that he needed was to be seen talking to Beth Turner or Mick St. John, but here they were. And lucky for him, Davis was not in the building. "What do you want? You're going to get me into trouble."

"I thought I collect on that favor you owe me." Mick stood a short distance away from her.

"Look, I owe you for saving my life, but don't you think I'm paying for it being stuck behind this desk?" Beth leaned closer to him, and already people were now beginning to look his way.

"I helped you, Green. Now, I need you to help me."

"Like I said before, what do you want?"

"Did you hear about that crime scene this morning?" Green nodded. "I need to locate the witness that Davis spoke to."

"Why don't you leave this one to Davis?"

"Because we can't." He didn't like the look in Mick's eyes.

"I guess I don't have a choice." He looked at Mick and then at Beth. "I'll see what I can do."

"Great." Beth gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "If you could also get us a copy of that 911 call, that would be great." She moved away from him.

"Anything else you want? Yankee tickets, perhaps?" He watched them leave the office. "Just my luck." He noticed that more people were staring at him. "What are you looking at?" He rose from his chair and grabbed his coat. "I'm going to lunch." He stormed out of the office.

**IV**

Thoughts tumbled over one another. Fingers tapped against a wooden desk. Eyes narrowed as they focused on the list of names before them. A sigh escaped out into the air as a hand released the paper, which floated down onto the smooth surface.

Talbot sat back in his seat and pushed a button on the intercom. He waited patiently for his intern to enter his office. His eyes shifted between the door and the list. As he shifted in his seat, the door opened, and a young intern stepped into view.

"Sir?"

"Yes. Anything on those names I gave you?" The intern looked confused for a moment and then nodded. "What did you find out?"

"A lot of them are missing, and there is one or two that I can't find a record on. And then there is Mick St. John…"

"I said to leave him for last."

"Right. Sorry."

"Don't apologize, Candice. I just don't want to draw any attention to the investigation as of yet." Talbot rose from his chair. "What about next of kin?"

"None."

"What?"

"There is none. As it is, their records are kind of empty."

"What do you mean?" Talbot leaned against his desk.

"I mean that before, maybe the last ten years or so, these people did not exist. No social security card, no residence, nothing."

"Witness protection?"

"For all those people?"

"You're right, but they have to have something in common. Why group them together?" He was asking himself more than his intern. "What connects them?"

"I don't know." He smiled at her response. "I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing." He stepped away from his desk. "Keep researching. See what you can find." He watched her walk toward the door. "I'm sorry to place this burden on you, but there is nobody else that I can trust." He wasn't sure if she heard him or not as she disappeared out into the hallway.

Sensing someone behind him, Talbot turned to see a young woman staring at the list of names. He wondered how she entered the room without him noticing. Was he that distracted? No, he would have seen her for sure, so how did she get into the room? But when he looked again, she was gone. "Candice."

His intern reappeared by his office door. She noted the concern on his face and wondered if she did anything wrong. She needed this internship to work out especially since the last one didn't, but after a moment, she realized that this wasn't about her. "Yes?"

"Did you see a young woman walk into the office while we were talking?"

"No."

"You sure?" Talbot watched her nod. "Okay. Thank you." He watched her leave. "I must be seeing things." But he was sure that he had seen her, so where did she go?

**IV**

The room was dark. A dim light bulb swung from its chain. One chair decorated the empty space, and a large shadow moved across the wall. Wooden floors creaked under heavy footsteps, and all the windows were painted black. And someone walked into the room.

"Well-done." A grin spread across the large man's face. "Here's the next name, Ravin." A small piece of paper was handed to him.

"When do I get paid?" Ravin pocketed the paper. "You said I would get paid."

"Money for the first was already deposited into your account. Collect the rest, and the rest of your money will be released. Do we have an agreement?"

"We do." Ravin watched the shadow move across the room toward the exit. "Why did you pick me?"

"Because you're the best." The cold breeze carried the voice back to him before the darkness swallowed it.

**V**

A cool breeze rustled through the trees as cars continued on with their drive. Gas station pumps clicked as the fuel flowed into waiting vehicles. People moved back and forth in the sun and into the small mini-mart store, but others remained tucked under the shade. And a police squad car pulled up near the spot, where Mick and Beth waited.

"Here you go." Green handed Beth a large envelope. "Everything you asked for."

"Thank you, Green." Beth took the envelope from him. "I appreciate this."

"Just tell me that we're even."

"We're even."

"Thank you." Green turned and walked back to his car.

"Friendly guy." Mick remained standing in the shade.

"He warms up after awhile." Beth moved over to him. "He just hates his new assignment."

"If I were stuck behind a desk all day, I'd go crazy too." Mick watched her open the envelope. "What's wrong?" He noticed the look on her face.

"Nothing, but… According to the report, Davis found a young woman near the scene, asked her a few questions, but before he could ask anything else, she was gone."

"Gone?"

"Yeah. He said he turned away for a moment, but when he turned back, there was no sign of her. Odd." Beth pulled a tape with the 911 recording out of the envelope. "At least, we have this."

A few moments later, they were in the car, and the tape was playing in the tape deck. There was a lot of static, and a voice was barely heard. But someone was speaking and saying something about a man chasing a woman into a dark alleyway. But then the recording stopped.

"Well, that helped." Beth pulled the tape out of the tape deck. "So, we have a witness that disappears before they could be questioned more, and we have a recording that is barely audible. That's just great."

"Is there a description of the witness?"

"Yeah. Late twenties, long, black hair, and brown eyes. Nothing that stands out, though, and the only name given was Lily."

"Not much to go on." Mick looked at Beth. "At least, I know someone that can analyze that recording. Maybe he could help us get more answers."

"I hope so." Beth was quiet for a long moment. "Do you think someone is hunting vampires?"

"I don't know. This could have been a random act, but… Unfortunately, I don't think it is."

"Do you think you're in danger?"

"I don't know, but if someone is hunting vampires, then none of us are safe." Mick stared at Beth for a long moment. "Maybe it would be safer, if you kept away from me until this is over."

"No. Forget it. Like you said, you are not in danger, so I'm not going anywhere." She saw a look cross over his face. "Don't give me that look."

"Okay, but if it gets dangerous…"

"I'm not going anywhere, Mick." She stared into his eyes. "I'm with you." She touched his hand. "No matter how bad this may get." Her grip tightened over his.

"Okay."

"Okay." She watched Mick put the car in drive and pull away from the gas station. "All we have to do is find this Lily." A knot slowly tightened in her stomach, but she quickly pushed the feeling away.


	2. Chapter 2

**VI**

Footsteps pounded across rooftops. The wind whistled through a long jacket as a body jumped through the air. Feet crunched down onto cement, and white eyes turned toward the night, seeking its attacker. But the coast looked clear.

As the vampire launched itself into the air, ready to land on the next rooftop of the building across from him, something whisked through the air. A hot sensation penetrated his chest and pulled him into a concrete wall. As steam began to rise from his skin, he was horrified to find himself stuck against the surface and unable to free himself from the silver arrow that now protruded out of his back, and his struggle only led to more pain. And a scream escaped his red lips before he burst into flames.

Ravin stood on a nearby rooftop. A crossbow with silver arrows was held at his side. His dark eyes glinted with satisfaction as the remains of the vampire left a dark imprint on the side of the building. Normally, he liked to keep their killing a secret, but that was not his orders this time. And he wasn't about to argue with the amount of money that he was being paid.

"Holy water gets them every time." He looked down at the crossbow in his hands. "On to the next name." He headed for the rooftop exit.

**VII**

The night was cold, and death was in the air. Ten p.m. slowly crawled by along with traffic, and bright lights gave life to the streets. Shadows stole against walls, and the wind whispered of something wicked. And a scream bit into the night.

Slamming on his brakes, Mick came to a sharp halt on the road that he was driving on. Angry cars screamed as they raced around him. Bright lights flashed as harsh language echoed through his window, but he didn't care about that. All he focused on was that scream.

Pulling to the side of the road, Mick cut the ignition and pocketed his keys. He hurried out into the night and glanced around his surroundings. Once he was sure that nobody was watching, he ran into the alleyway and took flight up the side of one building, and a horrid smell filled his nose. It wasn't sulfur this time, but it was death, death of a vampire.

Beth would be angry that he went out alone, but when she had fallen asleep in his arms, he risked slipping away from her. He didn't want her involved with this. What if she got hurt? What if she was killed, but that thought was quickly silenced? He would be careful, but what if he couldn't protect her?

A moment later, he stood on the rooftop, where the remains of a vampire left a large, dark imprint on the side of the building. It was fresh, and that meant the killer was somewhere near. And he needed to know more, but there was no scent to follow. Only the burnt remains of a vampire filled his nose.

Kneeling downward, Mick grabbed hold of the silver arrow and tried to pull it out of the wall. His flesh began to boil, and a scream almost escaped from him. The metal was soaked in holy water, and he should have known better. He was dealing with a pro. There was no question about it, and he was a sitting duck on this rooftop, if he wasn't careful.

"I'll have to call the Cleaner."

Something caught his attention. A lone figure wavered under a light near the alleyway. It looked like the person was watching him, but the eyes seemed distant. And when Mick jumped from the rooftop to the ground, the shadow remained, a ghost of a girl. "Who are you?"

"Lily." Mick slowly walked toward her as she slipped further into the darkness behind her. "The list, Mick. Find the list of names."

"What list?"

He hurried toward her and reached out to grab her arm, but his hand slipped through her like she was just a mere illusion. His eyes met her haunted gaze, and when he blinked, all he saw was darkness. She was gone, but he heard her. He knew that she was there, but where did she go?

"The list of names." It was a clue, one that he and Beth badly needed, but it wasn't much to go on. "Damn it."

Slowly, Mick retreated back to his car. His eyes shifted from the walls to the rooftops overhead. He got the sense of being watched, but was it the vampire hunter? He needed answers, but first he would make a call to the Cleaner to take care of this crime scene. He didn't need the cops or the ADA sniffing around or connecting the dots. What would it mean for him, if they realized what he was?

**VIII**

It was getting late, but the research was taking longer than expected. The printer spurted out page after page, but some calls were made earlier. But a lot of dead ends were followed until one led to a shell corporation that seemed to be funneling millions of dollars into a city-based company, and some of the names on the list matched those that set up that corporation.

Leaning back in her seat, a large smile spread across Candice's face. She had found what she was looking for, and she knew that Talbot would be pleased. The information that she printed out would be proof of her findings, and she could show it to him first thing in the morning. But now it was time for sleep.

Something moved past her. Spinning around in her seat, she looked behind her but didn't see anything. She must be tired, and without a second thought, she turned the printer off. She organized all the papers in front of her, rubber band them tight, and then shut down the computer.

It was already eleven. Where did time go? She had sat down in front of the computer at seven and then went to work, calling and web browsing, and trying to find something. And she did, and that feeling lifted her up out of the seat and urged her on to bed. She would definitely sleep like a baby tonight and wake anew tomorrow, ready to solve the riddle of the list of names.

A shadow stood behind her. Its footsteps hardly echoed across the wooden floor. Eyes gently lingered across her back, and another step was taken toward her. But Candice sensed its presence, and she slowly turned around. And as she was pulled into the shadow, all she saw were razor sharp fangs.

**IX**

"I can't believe you snuck out."

"I'm sorry." Mick closed his apartment door behind him. "You were asleep, and I didn't want to wake you."

"No. You just wanted to protect me." Beth crossed her arms over her chest. "I told you, Mick that we are in this together. You and me."

"I'm sorry." Mick gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "I am, but…"

"But you can't always protect me. I'm a big girl, and I can take care of myself."

"Not with this." He gazed at her for a long moment. "This may be more than you can handle."

"That goes the same for you." Beth moved away from him. "So, did you find anything tonight?"

"Yeah. Another dead vampire." Mick walked over to his window. "We're dealing with a pro, a vampire hunter." He looked over his shoulder at her. "The question is why is he picking off these vampires. What is their connection to the list of names?"

"List of names?"

"Yeah. I saw her tonight, Beth. I saw Lily." Confusion spread over his face. "But she wasn't human."

"Was she a vampire?" Beth now stood beside him.

"No. It was like she was a ghost, but she was there, talking to me. She mentioned a list of names, and before I could get more…"

"She disappeared."

"Yeah."

"At least, we have a lead." Mick smiled at Beth. "It's something."

"If we can figure out."

A soft ringing filled the apartment. Beth and Mick looked at each other for a moment before checking their cell phones, but it wasn't Beth's cell. It was Mick's.

"Yeah?"

"You ever hear of a ghost in the machine?" Mick recognized the voice as his hacker friend. "It's nothing but a wall of static, and in that static is one voice trying to speak out. But it can't. That's what the 911 call sounds like." No response. "Mick?"

"So you're telling me that a ghost made the 911 call?" He glanced at Beth. "Is that it?"

"More or less. The voice isn't human. It's like an echo of a normal voice, even for us." A moment passed. "It even gave me the chills to tell the truth."

"Thanks."

"Yeah. No problem." The call went dead.

"So, another dead-end?"

"Maybe." Mick looked down at the cell phone in his hand. "We still have one lead to follow. The list of names. The question is where do we begin."


	3. Chapter 3

**X**

The smell of death always enveloped the morgue. The air was never warm. Everything inside was sterile, and covered bodies decorated small, dimly lit rooms. And the mortician was normally as pale as the corpse that they were working on.

Davis walked into a small room, where he found the mortician hunched over a corpse. He tried not to wince, but he felt his breakfast rising up. And he kicked himself for eating first before coming here. He should have known better, but it was too late. "What do we have on that Jane Doe that was brought in yesterday?"

"Excuse me?" The mortician hardly looked at him. "What Jane Doe?"

"The woman that was found in the alleyway. Her burned remains were brought in here."

"Oh, her. Well, your guys picked up those remains." The mortician now looked at him. "You did the paperwork, lieutenant." He noted the look that crossed over Davis's face. "Something wrong?"

"Yeah. I did no such paperwork."

"Well, they came in late last night and waved a bunch of papers in front of me with your signature. Who am I to object when everything looks official?"

"Damn it. What did they look like? Can you give me a description?" Davis did not bother to hide the anger in his voice. "Who the hell came to get her remains," he thought.

"Yeah. I can give you a description. They looked like cops." The mortician returned to his corpse. "Now, if you don't mind, I need to sew this guy back up before his funeral."

"Yeah. Sure." Davis glared at the mortician for a long moment. "If you remember anything more than them just being cops, give me a call." He dropped his card in front of the mortician. "Have a nice day." He stormed out of the morgue.

**XI**

"Beth?" Talbot looked up in surprise from his desk. "Now is not a good time." He pressed the office phone against his ear. "Come on, Candice. Pick up the phone."

It looked like a hurricane had ripped through Talbot's office. Paperwork was everywhere. Books lied on the floor while their shelves remained empty. One chair nearby was knocked over while the other remained perfectly poised, and the color was draining from Talbot's face.

"Ben, what happened here?" Beth winced as he slammed the phone down. "What's going on?"

"I came in this morning, and my office looked like this." He gestured around him. "My computer's been wiped clean, and papers are missing." He fell back into his chair. "And my intern has not come in today, and she never misses a day. Maybe I should send a police squad car over to her house." He reached for the phone.

"Talk to me." Beth laid a hand over his. "What's going on? Who would do this?"

"You tell me." Talbot pulled his hand back.

"What the hell does that mean? For the last few weeks, Ben, you've distanced yourself from me, and I have the right to know why."

"You want to know why?" He rose from his seat.

"Yes. I want to know why." She watched him close the door to the office. "What does all this have to do with me?"

"It doesn't, Beth." Talbot sighed. "It has to do with Mick St. John."

"What?" Beth watched him sit back down behind his desk. "What does Mick have to do with this?" She sat down in the untouched office chair.

"This all started when I received a list of names." Beth didn't get a chance to hide the expression that spread over her face. "You know about the list?"

"I found out about it last night."

"Well, Mick's name is on that list, and I'm betting Jane Doe's name was on it too. And I had my intern do some digging, and I think she was getting close to something." His eyes roamed over what was left of his office. "Apparently, she found something." He grabbed the phone in front of him and punched in some numbers. "Yeah. I need a squad car asap over at 14 Stone Lane. As soon as they report on the scene, I want to be called in. Okay?" He hung up the phone. "What did she find out," he asked himself.

"I don't understand why Mick's name would be on that list."

"Nor I, and I like the guy. Don't get me wrong, but he's not what you think he is." Beth looked away. "The guy has more skeletons in the closet than he lets on."

"We all do."

"Maybe, but if people on that list start being murdered, who's to say that they won't go after him and you won't get hurt in the process?" Talbot sighed deeply. "He's not who he says he is. He's a name on paper, but the more that Candice dug into his background, the more it seemed like he was some kind of ghost."

"You had Candice investigate Mick?" Beth was shocked but growing angry. "How could you do that with everything that he has done for you?"

"I know what he has done for me, but I want answers!" Talbot rose from his desk. "Someone dropped that list of names on my desk. Someone was trying to tell me something, but what? What were they trying to tell me?" Beth looked down at her hands. "What connects those names to Mick St. John?" Beth's gaze met Talbot's. "What is that you are not telling me about him, Beth?"

"I've told you everything about him." She slowly rose from the chair. "There's nothing left to tell." She moved toward the office door, but Talbot grabbed her by the arm. "Let go of my arm, Ben."

"Beth, if you're involved, I can protect you."

"I don't need your protection."

"Right. You have Mick St. John to protect you."

"I can take care of myself." She pulled her arm out of his grip. "Now, if you don't mind…" She looked at the door. "I would like to leave."

"Fine, but this is exactly why I distanced myself from you." He opened his office door. "You want to go? Go." He watched her move out into the hallway. "Beth. I know how close you two have become, but I'm not going to stop investigating him. And I can't protect you, if I find something."

"I know." Beth stared at Ben for a long moment. "Good-bye, Ben." She walked away.

"Good-bye, Beth." Ben closed the office door behind her.

**XII**

It was beautiful outside, but the day was already in ruins. A cool breeze whistled through the air, pushing Beth's hair behind her. Her eyes adjusted to the sunlight as Mick waited for her in his car. She tried to smile as her feet moved across concrete toward the street, but worry washed away any attempt at not looking concerned. And she slowly got into the car.

"What's wrong?" Mick picked up on it almost immediately. "Beth?"

"Talbot received that list of names." She didn't look at him for a moment. "Your name was on it." Her eyes slowly moved toward him. "He started an investigation, and…"

"And began to dig into my past." Beth nodded. "Damn it."

"He suspects something about you, but he doesn't know."

"We have to make sure that he doesn't, or I can't save him this time."

"I know." Beth paused for a long moment. "His intern found something. Whatever she found must have been something because Talbot's office looked like a hurricane ripped through it, and now his intern is missing. He just sent a squad car over to her place."

"Where does she live?"

"14 Stone Lane." Mick threw the car into drive and sped off. "Mick, Talbot is going to be there."

"I don't care." He glanced at her. "If we can figure out what his intern found out, then we can cut Talbot off, stopping him from proceeding with his investigation."

"He's already suspicious, and seeing us there will only make it worse."

"It's too late for that." Mick shook his head. "Like you said, my name is on that list. I'm involved, whether I want to be or not."

"And Lily?"

"I don't know." Mick looked at Beth for a long moment. "Hold on." Mick's car continued to fly down the road.

**XIII**

The grapevine was buzzing, and nothing good was flowing from it. Another vampire death was almost made public, if not for Mick St. John. Vampire organizations were growing anxious, afraid that the hunter may find and terminate them. Control was slipping away, and chaos was waiting to begin.

The phone never stopped ringing. How did he get stuck handling this mess? Who decided that he should be in charge, a position of power that he did want, but this was not what Josef had in mind. And now he was trying to make peace in an unpredictable situation, but he knew that it had to do with the list of names.

"Calm down. I said calm down!" Fangs slipped from Josef's mouth. "We're tracking the hunter now. We know he's in the city, and once he surfaces, we'll get him!" His fangs disappeared. "Right now, there's not much that we can do. It's daylight." He listened to the one on the other end. "Well, I told you. I don't know where that list of names came from, but we're also looking into that." He rubbed his eyes. "No, he does not know that he is on the list, and I don't think he should. Mick has enough to deal with, and I don't need him distracted. Fine. Fine!" He slammed the phone down.

"Problems?"

Looking up from his desk, Josef's gaze rested upon a young woman with long, dark hair. Her eyes were different, haunted. Her skin was pale, and she seemed almost transparent. Her soft gaze met his, and they stared at each other for a long moment.

Moving quickly, Josef tried to grab hold of her, but his hands slipped through her. He stumbled backward, studying her. His eyes continued to hold her gaze, and he reached toward her. And for a moment, his fingers found flesh. "What are you?"

"I'm dying."

"So, you're not a ghost?" Lily shook her head. "What do you want?"

"I want you to stop this."

"Stop what?"

"What's going to happen, Josef."

"You know my name, but I don't know yours."

"Lily."

"Oh. The witness." He slowly moved away from her and back over to his chair. "Look, I don't know exactly what you are, but obviously you have no power here. So, return to wherever you came from."

"You need to stop this." She watched him sit down in his chair. "Do you hear me?"

"I'm dead not deaf, my dear. I heard you, and I don't have to answer." He crossed his arms over his chest. "If I were you, I would leave quickly because you have no idea what it is that you are getting involved with."

"Neither do you." She started to move away. "He knows."

"Who knows what?" He was getting tired of this game.

"Mick." Josef stared at her in surprise. "He knows about the list and that his name is on it, and he knows about Candice." Josef almost snarled at her. "It's too late, but you can stop it."

"Get out of here!" Josef watched Lily vanish before him. "Great. Another loose end." He leaned his head back against the chair and sighed. "How does one kill a ghost?" His fangs protruded once more from his mouth.

**XIV**

The crime scene carried a thick smell of blood, but the only evidence of it was splashes against the walls and floor. There was no sign of the body, and the apartment was in disarray. Signs of the struggle confirmed everyone's worst fear, and any hope of saving Candice was very slim.

"It was a vampire." Mick stood close to Beth as they stared at the crime scene. "I can still smell him."

"Why would a vampire do this?"

"I wish I knew."

"Beth. St. John." Davis eyed them with suspicion. "You both keep on stumbling across my crime scenes."

"So it seems." Mick's smile was hardly returned.

"I guess you two wouldn't know anything about a missing Jane Doe from the morgue?"

"The body's missing?" Davis stared at Beth. "No, we didn't know."

"And if you did, would you tell me?" He looked from Beth to Mick.

"We would," but Mick knew the lieutenant did not believe him. "Any chance of finding the girl?"

"No. It doesn't look good." Davis saw Talbot approaching. "If I were you, I would disappear. These days, the ADA does not think too highly of seeing you two around his crime scene."

"Yeah. We know." Mick's gaze met Talbot's, and for a long moment, they stared at each other. "Excuse me." The vibrations from his cell phone ran down his leg, and he pulled out his cell to see that his friend was calling. "Josef?"

"Mick. Any chance of you stopping by?" Mick glanced at Beth, who watched Talbot walk away from them. "There's been a new development."

"Sure. What kind of development?"

"I met Lily." He let those words linger for a moment. "Get here soon."

"Yeah." The call ended.

"What's up?"

"Josef met Lily."

**XV**

Once again, he found himself behind his desk, but he was tired of answering phones. Let them ring. There was nothing new to say, and any new developments did not need to be disclosed as of yet. He was trying to get a handle on the situation, but answering all these phones was becoming a distraction and annoyance. And relief overwhelmed him when he saw Mick and Beth enter his office.

"Josef." Mick stared at the non-stop ringing phone on his desk. "Busy day?"

"You could say that. Every vampire caught wind that there's a hunter in town, and some are running scared. And others want it handled."

"Is it being handled?" Josef's gaze fell on Beth. "Do you know where he is?"

"We're tracking him, and we know he is somewhere in the city. Once he surfaces, we'll get him."

"You need to be careful with this guy." Josef now looked at Mick. "He's good at what he does."

"Aren't they all?" Josef stepped away from his seat. "Don't worry about the hunter. I have it covered." He sat on top of his desk across from Mick and Beth. "My only concern is you finding Lily."

"What did she say to you?"

"Nothing much, Beth, but she's getting in way too deep. And we need to keep her out of this." Josef scratched the back of his head. "She also mentioned something about dying."

"Dying?"

"Yes, my dear, which would explain the ghostly apparition and haunting gaze of hers."

"Yeah. That sounds like her." Mick met Josef's gaze. "We met the other night."

"And what did she say to you?"

"Nothing much except for a list of names." Josef closed his eyes. "I'm betting you've seen that list." Josef looked at him.

"Yes, I've seen it." Josef moved away from his desk and snatched a piece of paper off of it. "I actually have it here." He handed Mick the list. "Your name is toward the bottom."

"You kept this from me?"

"I was trying to protect you, Mick."

"Well, don't, Josef. I have the right to know about something like this." He handed Beth the list. "The two names on the top. Are they the ones murdered?"

"No. Most of the vampires on that list are already dead. The hunter is tracking the ones that are… Hard to kill."

"And me?" Mick stepped closer to Josef. "Why am I on that list?"

"I don't know, but I would be careful, if I were you." Josef glanced at Beth. "If we don't get that hunter first, he will come for you."

"Let him." Mick moved away, but Josef grabbed him by the arm. "Josef."

"Mick, you said it yourself. He's good at what he does." Josef released his grip on his arm. "You have to be careful, and you have to find Lily."

"We have a lead now on her." Josef and Mick looked at Beth. "Maybe she's been in and out of the hospital, if she is dying. It's the best place to look."

"See? I knew she was a smart girl." Josef smiled at Beth. "Well?"

"One thing first."

"Sure, Mick. What's that?"

"Candice."

"The ADA's intern? What about her?" Josef moved away from Beth and Mick. "Something else I should know?"

"Yeah. She's missing." Josef looked at Beth. "Someone ransacked the ADA's office and her home, and…"

"It looks like a vampire was responsible."

"Now, why would a vampire bother with them?" Josef sat in his seat. "Unless they're responsible for the hunter being here."

"Well, I don't know if they are or if they aren't, but if you hear anything…"

"You'll be the first to know, Mick." Josef looked from him to Beth. "I'm kindof busy here with these damn phones, so… If you don't mind." He watched them walk away.

"He's hiding something," Mick whispered over to Beth.

"Yeah, but what?"

"I don't know." He glanced at Josef, who watched them from a distance. "But obviously someone did call the hunter here, and he's not saying who."

When he was certain that they were gone, Josef picked up a phone and dialed in some numbers. He listened to the rings, counting to six. Someone answered on the other end, but no sound flowed through the phone. And Josef cleared his throat.

"He knows. Don't worry about Beth Turner, and as for Lily, they will find her." He listened to someone on the other end. "Trust me. This will end as it was planned, but the hunter has to go." He hung up the phone.


	4. Chapter 4

**XVI**

"I'm sorry."

Talbot leaned against the doorway to Candice's home. He covered his face with his hands, lost in anger and sadness. Questions raced through his mind, but he had no answers. But all of this had to do with that list of names, which had been taken away from him along with everything else, and they had murdered his intern. There was no question about that.

"I'm sorry." Davis put his hand on Talbot's shoulder. "I've notified hospitals, and if she turns up, we'll know."

"Don't bother. She's dead." Talbot looked at him. "They're covering their tracks."

"Maybe you should let me in on your investigation." He kept his hand on Talbot's shoulder. "I can help."

"Walk with me." Talbot moved away from the crime scene. "Recently, someone sent me a list of names. I recognized two as powerful individuals, so I decided to keep my investigation strictly to my office. Shortly afterward, those individuals went missing."

"And the Jane Doe in the alleyway?" Davis walked beside Talbot.

"I'm betting her name was on that list."

"I wish you brought me in on this earlier." Davis stopped walking. "Jane Doe's body was removed from the morgue by people impersonating cops. The mortician said the documents looked genuine with my signature, so it sounds like whoever we are dealing with are very connected."

"Yeah. We're not dealing with amateurs here." Talbot glanced back at the crime scene around Candice's place. "My intern obviously found something, and whoever they are, they wasted no time in silencing her and covering their tracks."

"Do you know what she found?"

"I wish I did." Talbot looked at Davis. "I only have one lead left."

"Which is?"

"Mick St. John."

"Why him?"

"Because his name is on that list. Either he's involved, or someone will be looking to kill him."

"And Beth Turner?"

"I'm not sure what her role is in all this, but I want a tail on both of them. If they make a move, I want to know about it."

"You got it."

"Thank you." Talbot started to walk away, but Davis grabbed him by the arm.

"You should've come to me earlier with this."

"I know." Talbot's eyes moved from the lieutenant to Candice's place. "I know." He walked away.

**XVII**

Buzzwire was busy as usual. Gossip slipped across pages typed. Rumors ran along the wires of phones that never stopped ringing. Computer screens flashed on, and fingers continued to strike the keypad before them. And people moved back and forth in a hurry to deliver their story.

Beth sat at her desk. She scanned hospital records, searching for Lily. Her eyes moved over to Mick, who studied the list of names. She noticed his brow furrow and sighed because two names already jumped out at her, but she knew that they were dead. And nobody could have known that they were vampires unless they themselves were one. "I think whoever made that list was a vampire."

"I was thinking the same thing." Mick looked at her. "There's only two other names here before mine, and then the list is finished." His gaze held Beth's. "It's only a matter of time before the hunter finds me."

"Don't say that. Josef will find him." Beth tried to resume working, but fear started to crawl up her spine. "They'll stop him," but did she really believe that?

"I may have to deal with this guy, Beth."

"No. It's too dangerous, Mick." She started to stand up from her seat, but Mick moved quickly and gently pushed her back into her chair. "You can't face this guy."

"I don't want to, Beth." He leaned over her. "I don't, but I can't let myself be a target either."

"Why don't we talk to Talbot and try to work together? Maybe with his help, we can figure this whole thing out, and it will take the suspicion off of you."

"No, we can't do that because if he realizes what I am…" Mick moved away from her. "If he knows, then I can't protect him, and I don't want to risk that."

"Well, we're between a rock and a hard place here."

"I know." Mick stared at her for a long moment. "Look, keep working on finding Lily and on that list of names." He started to move away from her.

"Wait!" Beth rose from her chair and approached him. "What are you going to do?"

"Someone called in the hunter." Mick gently placed his hand on her arm. "There's only one that I know of that can find them and call them in, and I need to pay him a visit." He walked away.

"Be careful." She knew he heard her, but she got no response back. "Please." She tried to ignore the fear tightening around her.

**XVIII**

Driving a short distance away from Buzzwire, Mick sensed that he was being followed. His eyes darted to the rearview mirror, and sure enough, there was a police tail trailing behind him. He shook his head, cursing under his breath that he should have known that Talbot would put a tail on him and probably on Beth, but now he had to lose them. He could not risk them following him to where he had to go.

Slamming on the gas, his car shot forward, and he drove straight through the intersection ahead. Horns blared, and tires screeched. Cars crashed together, and the tail was cut off. He was in the clear, but this act would only confirm Talbot's suspicions about him. But he would have to deal with that later.

**XIX**

A few moments later, Beth emerged from the building and jumped into her car. Her eyes moved up to the rearview mirror, and she caught sight of her tail. She shook her head and was about to wonder if Mick was being followed, but she saw the pile-up in front of her. She quickly turned down a side street and made her way over to Saint Hospital, and her tail continued to follow close behind. "Talbot," she muttered.

Once at the hospital, she made her way over to the I.C.U. ward. She ignored the two plainclothes detectives that hung back while they watched her. She spoke to a nurse at her station and asked about a Lily, and the nurse slowly nodded and gave her the room number.

"Thank you." Beth turned to look at the two detectives, but she had nothing to say to them. "I can't believe he had me followed," she muttered as she walked into the I.C.U.

The beating of a heart monitor echoed throughout a small, dark room. Sharp sounds of air escaped through the respirator. An IV dripped liquids through an intravenous. Tubes and wires crisscrossed along a small, thin body.

"Wow. A visitor." A nurse walked past Beth. "Lily here has not had a visitor for a long time."

"How long has she been here?" Beth continued to stare at the young woman before her.

"About a year or so. Poor girl. A lot of brain activity, according to the doctor, but she just hasn't woken up yet." The nurse checked the IV. "At least, she has a visitor now. Are you a friend of the family?"

"Yeah." Beth looked from the nurse to Lily. "What happened to her?"

"Car accident. Drunk driver hit her head on. The bastard went to jail, and she's been here ever since."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too. Bad things seem to happen to too many good people." The nurse walked out of the room.

"Yeah." Beth slowly took a step toward Lily. "How is this possible? How were you here when everyone else saw you?"

"Because I was and wasn't here." Lily stood behind Beth. "I can be in two places at once." Beth spun around toward her, almost as pale as she was. "I can go where I like and when I like."

"Astral projection?"

"Very good, Beth." Lily smiled at her, but her smile quickly faded. "It's going to get worse, and things won't be the same afterward."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"Mick is going to be asked to make a choice. He is going to have to choose, or the choice will be made for him. And that choice will affect you." She started to disappear.

"Wait." Lily rematerialized. "I need something to go on. I need a lead, if I am going to figure any of this out."

"You have your lead. The list of names. Crack the list like Candice did, and you'll get your answer."

"Is Candice dead?" Lily nodded. "Was it a vampire?" Beth closed her eyes after seeing Lily nod again. "Do you know who?" When she looked at Lily, she was gone. "Damn it." She turned toward the body lying in the bed. "Thank you." She left the room.

**XX**

Talbot was back in his office. He realigned his shelves with books. He snatched all the paperwork from the floor and began to reorganize it. His cell rested against his office phone, and his office was beginning to look the way that it usually did.

Hearing his cell phone ring, he quickly snatched it off his desk and flipped it open. "Talk to me. You lost him? What about Beth? She's where? No. No, stay with her. I'll check it out myself. Thanks." He closed his phone and grabbed his jacket off the chair. "Who was she visiting at the hospital," he thought.

**XXI**

The room was dark as usual, and the dim light bulb continued its swing along its chain. One lone chair still decorated the empty space, and shadows moved across the wall. Wooden floors creaked under footsteps, and a large hand touched the black windows. And Ravin slowly turned as someone entered the room.

"You should really think about lighting up the place?" Ravin grinned at his own joke, but then he saw the serious look on the other's face. "Did I do something wrong?"

"There are no issues with your performance, but there are new developments that leave me troubled." The shadow paused before him. "We may need to alter course."

"Am I still going to get paid?"

"Do not worry about the money. It's all taken care of."

"Then, what new developments should concern me?"

"We may need you to use Beth Turner as bait."

"I told you before. No humans."

"Then, you don't get the rest of your money." The shadow slowly turned away.

"Hey! I can wipe you out. I can wipe all of you out and clear this city of your scum." Ravin snarled. "You like my performance? Well, you haven't seen anything yet, and I want my money."

"Beth won't be harmed." The shadow gazed at him for a long moment. "She's just bait."

"For what?"

"The last vampire on the list."

"St. John?" The shadow nodded. "So, we do as we planned. I kill the other two, and then go after him."

"No. You kill the other two, and then you capture Beth Turner. Leave the rest up to us." The shadow began to leave the room.

"You said that she won't be harmed. How can I trust that, if I leave her alone with you vampires?"

"You want a guarantee?"

"Yeah." Ravin took a step closer toward the figure. "I want to see her breathing when this is all done."

"Then, you can stay with her to protect her from us vampires." The shadow left the room. "Then, you'll get what you asked for." His words hovered in the air behind him, and Ravin did not like the tone that they carried.

**XXII**

The roads leading outside the city were already being jammed up. Private planes took to the skies to get as far away as they could. Boats pushed away from their docks and hurried into the waters. Several calls were being made, and plans to leave as soon as possible were put into action. But for some, it was already too late.

Alexis had finished sending his vampires off to wherever they were running to. He quickly filled his suitcases with cash and jewelry. Photographs of his old life no longer held any connection to him, and he could leave those behind. And the girl he met for dinner could remain lying in the dried pool of blood. There was no saving her, and there wasn't any time to waste discarding her body.

"Alexis." Mick entered his small quarters. "Going somewhere?" His eyes fell on the dead girl.

"Mick St. John." Alexis slowly turned toward him. "What do I owe to this visit?" Mick grabbed him and pinned him up against the wall. "Easy. Easy. What did I do wrong?"

"For starters, how about the girl on the floor?"

"I was hungry." Mick's fangs protruded out of his mouth. "Hey. I never bothered you, so why are you bothering me?"

"Because there is a vampire hunter in this city, and you are the only one that has connections to bring them in. I know you've flipped on us many times, and you know who to call in. So, who did you call in?"

"I can't answer that." Fear crept up into Alexis's voice. "You have no idea what you are involved in."

"Why don't you tell me?" His face is mere inches from Alexis. "What's going on?"

"I can't! I value my life!"

"You're not going to have much of a life when I'm done with you."

Something grabbed Mick from behind with such force that he was hurled backward against another wall. As he jumped to his feet, a large shape plowed into him, knocking him into the ground, and he struggled to break free from the vice-like grip that held him. But just as he thought he was about to move out from under his attacker, a stake was plunged into his chest, and it was all over. He was paralyzed.

"Thank you." The large shape moved toward Alexis. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me." Alexis looked faint. "I'm not here to save you."

"But I didn't talk! I didn't say a word." Alexis tried to run past him, but the shadow threw him backward. "I didn't talk!"

"But your name is on that list." Ravin took another step toward him. "And my job is to eliminate the vampires on that list."

"Now, wait a damn minute. I was told to call you in, and now you're going to kill me!"

Something flashed through the air. A blade cut through skin. Blood splashed across the wall, and a head fell to the floor. And a large shadow stood over the body of Alexis.

"Don't you vampires ever shut up?" Ravin turned toward Mick. "As for you, you are lucky that my orders are not to kill you." He leaned closer to him. "They have plans for you, but if I were you, I would tell Beth to leave this city and to do it fast." Ravin poked at the stake protruding out of Mick's chest. "I would hate to see her killed because of you." He left the room.

Blood raced down the walls. The light overhead flickered. Shadows lingered over Alexis and his remains, and despite all his efforts, Mick remained paralyzed. And he was grateful to be spared by the vampire hunter, but if nobody came to help him soon, he would easily fall into the hands of whoever was masterminding this whole thing.


	5. Chapter 5

**XXIII**

"Mick? Where are you? This is the third time that I am leaving a message. Please, call me back. I'm at my place. I hope you're alright. Please, call me, Mick. Please."

Fear and concern struck her nerves as Beth looked at the cell phone in her hand. It's been hours since she last saw Mick, and her gut warned that something had happened. And she should've asked him where he was going, but she let him go to pursue a lead. And now there was no response, and she couldn't let her imagination wander off too far. Or she would think the worse.

Leaning back against the chair, Beth ran her fingers through her hair. Her eyes filled with tears, but she struggled to keep them from falling down. Her gaze settled on the computer screen before her, running over every name on the list including Mick's, and her nerves continued to curl tightly together. Something was wrong, but she was left alone in the dark. And wherever he was, she could not help him. "Why did I let you go?"

A soft knock was heard at the door. A moment later, a louder knock followed, and then there was a long pause. And as Beth approached the door and started to open it, another soft knock was heard.

"Hello?" Beth opened the door to see a woman with long, blond hair and dressed all in black waiting in the hallway. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah. I'm looking for Mick St. John."

"He's not here." Beth's grip tightened on the doorknob. "Why are you looking for him?"

"Because my name is on that list too." The woman stared intently at her. "You're Beth Turner, aren't you?" Beth nodded. "Can you invite me in? It's not safe for me to stand out here in the open like this."

"What do you want?"

"Just to talk." The woman continued to stare at her. "I'm Hazel Ruther." Beth recognized the name. "Please. Before he tracks me, I need to talk to Mick or to you."

"Come in." Beth wondered if that was the smart choice, but the woman quickly slipped past her and into the apartment. "What do you want to talk about?"

In a blink of an eye, Hazel was at Beth's computer, scanning through her research. Her eyes narrowed, and a small smile pulled at her lips. Her eyes scanned over the list of names and the information on a city-based company that surfaced, and she slowly nodded to herself. "You are quite the investigator, Miss. Turner."

"Thank you." Beth watched her take a seat at her computer. "So, what do you want?" She moved over to another chair nearby. "What does this have to do with Mick?"

"His name is on the list, and there is not too many of us left."

"I know."

"He's not missing, is he?" She saw the worried look on Beth's face. "Then, maybe I am the last one standing."

"No. He's following a lead." She tried to sound firm, but her voice shook. "He should be back soon. Why did someone call in the hunter?"

"Because of what they are planning to do."

"They?"

"Vampires."

"But you're a vampire."

"No kidding. Look, vampires run in their own circles, but now someone is trying to bring them all together. I was asked to donate large portions of money to the corporation responsible for creating this company, but I don't know what this company is supposed to do. And when I started to investigate, my name appeared on the list. They saw me as a threat."

"Maybe they saw Mick as a threat."

"Anyone on that list is a threat and will be eliminated." Hazel looked down at her hands. "Even me."

"I don't get it. Why bring all of you together now? What are they planning?"

"I wish I knew, but there was one name that started to float around. Davis Ferren."

"Who is he?"

"A vampire that nobody has seen for decades." Hazel shook her head. "One day, he just showed up out of the blue, and that began this whole damn conspiracy." She bit her lip. "I knew he was dangerous, and there is no telling what he has in mind."

Beth's apartment door flew open, and a large man stepped into the apartment. His dark eyes fell on Beth and then moved toward Hazel. Despite his size, he moved quickly toward her, but Hazel had already jumped to her feet. A smile spread across his face as she hissed at him, and Beth quickly moved away from the chair. But before she could get away, she was thrown against the wall, and then Ravin grabbed hold of the vampire. But she slipped through his hands.

Turning toward the window, Hazel ran toward it and crashed through the glass. Little shards dug into her skin, and droplets of blood fell down like rain. But she didn't care as long as she could escape the vampire hunter bent on taking her life.

And Ravin did not hesitate. He pulled a small, metallic ball out of his belt and threw it at Hazel. He watched as it struck her skin, and the ball released a blast of water, holy water. And a moment later, his eyes followed a burning, screaming body down toward the ground, where it exploded into black dust.

"Jesus!" A plainclothes detective jumped out of his car. "Did you see that?" He looked over at his partner, who quickly moved toward him. "Let's go." He withdrew his gun and hurried into Beth's apartment building.

Dazed, Beth tried to move away from the wall, but Ravin quickly scooped her up into his arms. His grip held her tight, and she tried to scream. But a large hand fell over her mouth, and the sound of footsteps raced toward her apartment.

Again, Ravin did not hesitate. He moved toward the window and jumped through the now empty space, and his hand slipped from Beth's mouth, allowing her to scream. And they fell straight down toward the ground near Hazel's remains, but to Beth's surprise, Ravin landed on his feet. And he looked up at the cops now leaning out of the apartment window with a small smile on his face.

"When you fight vampires as long as I have, you learn a few tricks." He gazed at Beth. "It's a real shame that you had to get caught up in all this." He carried her toward a waiting vehicle. "If you're lucky, they won't kill you." He gently squeezed her neck, rendering her unconscious. "But I wouldn't hold my breath." A moment later, the vehicle sped off down the road.

**XXIV**

"Breathe."

The stake was ripped out of Mick's chest and tossed aside. He was held tightly in someone's arms. His eyes focused on the light above him, and he started to cough. And he heard it again, "Breathe."

"Josef?" Mick looked up into the face of his friend. "Kind of ridiculous of you to tell me to breathe when you know I can't."

"I know, but it sounded good." They burst out laughing. "I guess you met the vampire hunter." He helped Mick to his feet.

"Yeah. He's a very large guy." Mick turned toward what was left of Alexis. "I knew his name was on the list, but I thought I could get here first."

"Apparently, you did, but why didn't he kill you?"

"He said they have plans for me."

"They? That helps." Josef shook his head. "So, now what?"

"Beth." Mick turned toward him. "We have to get to Beth before he does." He started to move toward the exit but stopped. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm saving you."

"Josef."

"Fine. I knew this scum was the one that called in the hunter, and I figured you went looking for him. And when Beth couldn't reach you, she called me, and I told her that I would find you. Check your cell phone. You probably have several voice messages from her." They looked at each other for a moment. "Do you want to go and save your girlfriend, or do you want to stand there longer, staring at me like that?"

"I want to save Beth."

"Good."

"But." Josef sighed. "You're not being completely honest with me, and don't lie to me. I know when you are lying to me."

"Look, there is something big going on in the city, and a lot of vampires are scared of whatever it is. But the only thing that I know for sure is that Davis Ferren is back."

"How's that possible? He's dead."

"Well, I thought so, but then his name started to surface a few weeks back. And he's very much alive." Josef stared at Mick. "And he's pissed off."

"Great. Well, that explains why my name is on the list."

"And why the vampire hunter did not kill you." Josef stared at him in concern. "Davis wants to do it himself, and he'll use Beth to get to you."

"Come on. We're wasting time." Mick hurried past him.

"I tried to tell you that before." He shook his head again. "Nobody ever listens to me." He hurried after Mick.

**XXV**

A small ocean of red swirled inside a glass container. It was a taste of perfection and the color of blood. Its aroma rose up around the warehouse, and more bottles were filled with its essence. And men in black began to box up the containers and move them carefully into the waiting trucks.

"Davis."

Dressed in a black suit with a red tie, Davis watched from his office as men loaded up the trucks. His blue eyes settled on the bottles in the boxes, and his gaze shifted down to his glass, which was filled with the same liquid. He rose the glass upward, gently swirled the water around, and breathed in a sweet smell, and his fangs protruded out of his mouth. And he opened his lips to drink the blood in. "Have you ever tasted perfection?"

The man behind him was smaller in frame, and he was skilled in martial arts. His dark eyes fell on the now empty glass, and he smiled. But he raised his hand when Davis pointed at a bottle nearby, which was still half full. "Sir, the hunter has the girl."

"And the names on the list?"

"They're all dead except one."

"Good."

"Sir, he could have killed him for you."

"No. Mick St. John is mine." He studied his friend. "Do you understand, Nomin? When he comes here, he is not to be harmed."

"But what makes you think that he will hear you out?"

"Because I have something that he wants, and what does he fear the most?" Nomin looked confused. "He fears what he is, and what if Beth Turner became one of us? Would he still love her, or would he be forced to kill her?" He moved toward the bottle. "The outcome should be very interesting." He breathed in the blood. "Cheers." He toasted his friend and then polished off the glass.

**XXVI**

"Beth!"

Hurrying into her apartment, Mick came face to face with the barrel of a gun. His eyes looked past the weapon toward Davis, who continued to hold his weapon at him. His gaze then shifted over to Talbot, who was looking over the research that Beth had done.

"Do you mind lowering that, Davis?"

"Actually, I do. You have a lot of explaining to do, St. John."

"Davis? We have two of them running around?" Mick glanced over his shoulder at Josef. "What?"

"Who's he?"

"A friend." Mick stared at the gun still pointed at him. "Is this really necessary?"

"No, it isn't." Talbot walked over to them. "Davis." He watched him slowly holster his gun. "You missed all the action, Mick. We had a large man jump out of the window with Beth in his arms, and the guy landed on his feet. What else happened? Oh, yeah. There was also another woman, who was set on fire and thrown out of the window, but the strangest thing happened. She burst into dust."

"I think the detective said ash." Davis glanced at Talbot.

"Ash. Dust. Same thing. Right, Mick?" Josef looked annoyed. "Sorry. I didn't get your name." Talbot turned toward him.

"I didn't give it." Josef glared at him.

"Doesn't matter. We would like to talk to Mick St. John here, preferably downtown to answer some unanswered questions."

"You just told me that Beth was taken, and now you want me to go downtown with you?" Anger crept into Mick's voice. "No."

"You don't have a choice." Davis began to take his handcuffs out.

"Come on, Mick. The sooner you can give us some answers, the faster we can look for her."

"Excuse me, gentlemen." Josef stepped in front of Mick. "The guy that you are looking for? He attacked Mick before he came here. He almost killed him. Now, instead of treating him as a suspect, you should be treating him as a victim." Davis and Talbot glanced at each other. "Seriously. There is no time to waste here especially with Beth's life in danger."

"Josef." Mick glanced at him. "I can handle this."

"If what he says is true, why not call the police? Bring them in on this?" Davis edged closer to Mick.

"Because this is personal." Josef remained standing between Mick and them.

"Talbot?" Davis glanced at him. "What do you want to do?"

"I still need answers."

"To what?"

"Well, for starters, Mick, how the hell did that woman burst into dust, why is your name on that list, and what is the story with that company that Beth was investigating?"

"What company?" Mick glanced over at the computer.

"You know what, Davis? We'll just have that talk here. Close the door." Talbot watched him close the apartment door. "Sit down." He gestured toward the couch.

"Fine." Mick patted Josef's shoulder. "You want answers, Talbot? Ask your questions." Josef glanced at him. "I'll try to answer them."

Talbot pulled a chair up to the couch, where Mick and Josef now sat. He glanced at Davis, who remained standing. He could tell that Josef was uncomfortable, but Mick was angry. If he pushed the right buttons, maybe they could speed this up and hurry to save Beth.

"Let's start from the beginning. Where did the list come from?"

"We don't know." Mick met Talbot's gaze. "Next question?"

"What is going on with that company? All the names on the list have some sort of connection to it except for you, Mick. What's its significance?"

"You're wasting time." Lily appeared by the door. "Your interrogation can wait, Talbot." Mick and Josef jumped to their feet and turned toward her. "Beth will be dead by morning." She winced as Mick moved toward her. "If you waste time like this, it will be too late. For all of you." Her eyes fell on Josef. "Only one of you can stop this." He looked away.

"How are you here, if you're in Saint Hospital's I.C.U.?" Josef glanced at Talbot. "I saw you there."

"I know, but I can't explain." When Davis moved toward her, she disappeared.

"What the hell?" Davis looked over at Talbot. "Where did she go?"

"She does that a lot." Josef ignored the look that Mick gave him. "She's right, though. We're wasting time."

"And Beth's life is in danger."

"Alright." Talbot stared at Mick. "How do we find her?"

"Is there an address for that company?" Mick moved toward the computer.

"Yeah." Talbot moved ahead of him and flipped through Beth's notes. "There's an office address and a warehouse address. They're on opposite ends of the city."

"We'll need to split up then." Davis looked at everyone. "I'll check out the office."

"I'll check out the warehouse."

"Not without me, you aren't." Mick looked at Talbot. "And you?" Talbot stared at Josef. "You can keep my friend over there company."

"You're kidding, right?" Josef turned to look at Davis.

"Does he sound like he's kidding?" Davis returned his look.

"This is what I get for helping you out?"

"We'll talk later, Josef." Mick moved past him, and Talbot followed him out the door.

"Great."

"Let's go." Davis stood behind him. "After you." He followed Josef out of the apartment.


	6. Chapter 6

**XXVII**

Bright lights flashed overhead and flooded down lightly painted walls. Sounds of the city slipped in under blackened windows. The floor was hard, rough unlike the soft, soothing bed, where one rested, and the sounds of breathing echoed throughout the room. And eyes slowly opened to strange surroundings.

Sitting up in the bed, Beth looked around the room. On impulse, she checked her neck, and to her relief, she felt no bite marks. Slowly, she lowered her hand and turned toward the window, but it was nailed shut. And she was sure that the closed door nearby was also locked.

As if on cue, the door unlocked and was gently pushed open. A man in a suit with cool, blue eyes stepped in and gazed at her for a long moment. Looking over his shoulder, he gave a curt nod, and the door closed behind him. And Beth realized that the one standing before her must be Davis Ferren.

"I'm Davis Ferren."

"I know who you are." Beth slowly stood up from the bed. "What do you want from me?"

"From you, Beth? Nothing." He smiled briefly. "You're just bait." His smile vanished. "Once Mick St. John gets here, you'll be free to leave."

"We both know that's not true."

"I knew I would like you." He took a step toward her. "I've been watching you for some time and Mick, but don't worry. I don't plan on killing you." He took another step toward her. "Instead, I'll do something that Mick is afraid to do."

"And what's that?" Fear filled her eyes. "What?"

"You'll become one of us." He reached out toward her and touched her face. "You're so beautiful, and why waste that beauty? You can live forever."

"With Mick?"

"I can't answer that." He moved away. "Not yet." He knocked on the door. "Mick has to make his choice first."

"Wait." Davis looked at her. "What choice?"

"That's between me and him."

"But why are you doing this? Why Mick? What did he ever do to you?" The door opened. "Please. Tell me."

"He tried to kill me, and he nearly succeeded." Davis left the room.

"All this for revenge," Beth whispered.

As the door locked into place behind him, Davis turned toward Nomin. "She is beautiful."

"If you turn her, Mick will kill you."

"Let him try." Davis started to walk away.

"Sir, we had him, and we let him get away."

"We still have him." Davis looked at him. "He just doesn't realize that yet, and where is Ravin?"

"Eating in your office."

"For a man with no regard for our kind, he is always hungry."

"Have you decided what's to be done with him?"

"He still has a role to play. There are a few loose ends left to tie up." Davis paused for a moment. "Has Lily been found?"

"I believe she has."

"Then, as soon as you have her location, deliver it to me." Nomin nodded as Davis walked away.

**XXVIII**

The office building stood fourteen feet high, but only two upper floors were lit up. The lobby was dim, and no guard was on duty. Maintenance signs, "wet floor" were poised along large tiles, and a mop in a bucket rested in one corner. But there was no sign of life.

"I don't like this." Josef glanced at Davis. "Just stay behind me." Josef nodded. "We're going all the way up."

Stepping into an elevator, Davis pushed the button, 14. He watched it light up, and the doors before him gently slid closed. The lift launched upward, and slowly they were pulled to their destination. And soft elevator music filled their ears.

"I hate this music." Davis glanced at Josef. "It's like watching the weather channel."

"So, are you a private eye like St. John?"

"Me? No, I'm an opportunist." The elevator came to a halt, and the doors opened. "You first." Davis shot him a look before stepping out into the corridor.

Lights shined in every office, but again there was no sign of life. Printers clicked, and fax machines buzzed. Soft ringing vibrated around cubicles, and chairs were pushed outward as if its occupant had just stepped away. But where did everyone go?

As they edged closer to a main office, a shadow moved past them. Davis turned first with his gun now in hand, and Josef stepped behind him. Their eyes scanned the area, but their gaze met nothing. But someone was watching.

Another shadow moved past them, and Josef tried to hide his annoyance. All he had to do was search out the one that was toying with them, but he couldn't let the lieutenant discover what he truly was. Or he might just have to kill him, and that wouldn't settle well with Mick.

"Josef." Someone stood behind them.

"Who's your friend?" Another appeared in front of them.

"Friends of yours?" Davis glanced at Josef.

"You could say that." Josef looked from one vampire to another. "Look, we don't want any trouble here. Just answers."

"But we want trouble." The two vampires flew toward them.

Davis unloaded his gun into the first attacker, who didn't even blink. He was grabbed by the throat, and his arm was twisted, forcing him to drop his weapon. And he was thrown backward like a rag doll over into a cubicle, and his head collided with the desk. And with a hard thud, he fell to the floor, unconscious.

Josef struggled with the second attacker. His fangs snapped at the other, and he quickly wrapped his arms around the vampire's neck, breaking it under his grip. And he spun around toward the other one, but a stake plunged into his chest. And as he grabbed onto the small piece of wood now protruding out of him, he fell toward the floor.

"That was my friend." The vampire stood over him. "You'll pay for that." He kicked the stake further into Josef's chest. "It just won't be by me." He grabbed Josef by the arm and threw him over his shoulders.

Slowly coming to, Davis struggled to look upward. His vision blurred, but he could make out one shape carrying another. And his gut told him that it was Josef, and his body ripped with pain. But he still tried to move, and blood trickled down the side of his face. As he finally got himself to his feet, he heard the elevator chime and the doors close.

**XXIX**

"Is there anything that you would like to tell me?" Talbot glanced at Mick before focusing on the road ahead. "We may be driving into a trap here, Mick, and I want to make sure that you have my back."

"I saved you once before."

"Yeah, but that was before I started digging into your life."

"Why did you investigate me?" Mick turned from the passenger-side window toward him. "I thought we were friends."

"We are, but with your name on that list, it raised a lot of unanswered questions." He returned Mick's gaze. "Why was your name on that list?"

"It's personal."

"Not anymore." Talbot made a left turn onto a side road. "Why?"

"I wronged someone in the past."

"Someone now looking for revenge?"

"Yeah. You could say that."

"And he's using Beth to get to you?" Mick nodded. "How dangerous is this guy?"

"Very dangerous." Mick gnawed on his lip. "Look, there is something that you should know. About me."

Something struck the car. A tire exploded, and the steering wheel twisted to one side. Talbot struggled to gain control, but the car swerved off the road. And just as he gained back control, something rammed into it, flipping the car up into the air and onto its side.

The car crashed to the ground. Talbot was slumped to one side, and blood poured down his side. Mick's eyes flashed white, and he struggled to move. But his leg was pinned underneath the seat, and he quickly worked to free himself. But before he could succeed, the car door above him was ripped off its hinges.

Mick launched himself into the air, but something sprayed into his face. His fangs emerged as he started to gag, and he fell hard to the ground. His vision blurred, and his body started to tingle. As he rolled onto his back, he looked up at a large shadow, who quickly sprayed another blast of whatever it was into his eyes, and that was all that he remembered.

**XXX**

Night fell over the city. Traffic slowly flowed across the streets. Lights lit up the sky. People roamed in crowds, unaware of any danger, and they continued on in their daily routine. But one lingered along the sidewalk, troubled with what's to come.

Lily could feel their pain. She knew they were hurt, but what could she do? Her body was trapped between worlds, and all she could do was watch. How could she possibly save them, and in saving them, she would risk herself? What could she do?

People walked past her like she wasn't there. They were lost in their own world, and their minds were occupied with normal burdens. And she wished that she could just walk away, follow the crowd, but she knew that she couldn't. She would have to make a choice, but they were vampires. Why should she care? She remembered what happened when the last one found her, and she couldn't let him find her again. So, why not just let go, and let them deal with saving themselves? But she knew the answer to that, and she couldn't just walk away.

"How do I save them?" Her voice drifted along the wind. "How can I save them?" Her eyes closed as her mind searched desperately for an answer. "There's only one thing to do." Tears slid down her pale face. "My life for theirs." She disappeared as people continued to walk on by.


	7. Chapter 7

**XXXI**

The door flew open, and Ravin carried Talbot into the room. He gently laid him down on the floor. Blood soaked his shirt and hands, and his gaze slowly lifted up toward Beth. Her fear reminded him of his own once, but she had to be strong now. He needed her help.

"Come over here." Beth cautiously walked toward them as her eyes shifted from him to Talbot. "I need your help. I think he broke a couple of ribs, but for the most part, I think he's okay. Doesn't seem to be any internal bleeding." He opened Talbot's shirt and checked his sides and back.

"Are you a doctor?"

"I was a medic back in Nam'." He pulled a small, first aid kit from his jacket pocket. "That's when I first met them." His gaze held Beth's for a long moment. "My unit was ambushed. The Viet Cong had us surrounded, and they were gunning us down." He gently lifted Talbot toward him and started to bandage around his chest. "I need you over here."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Hold him, and when I say press here, you're going to take your finger and hold where I tape." Beth nodded. "We thought that was it for us, but then these two men joined in on the fight. And they tore our enemy to shreds, and when we thought that we were going to be saved, they turned on us. Press here." He finished the bandage as Beth pressed down on the tape. "I was the only one left alive. Barely." He lowered Talbot back toward the ground, who moaned in pain. "Bastards took my legs." His eyes floated up toward Beth. "I bet they never thought I would be a threat with steel legs, but I proved them wrong."

"And now you work for them."

"I wouldn't talk, if I were you." He moved away from her. "You fell in love with one of them."

"What did they do with Mick?"

"They have him." He shook his head. "They didn't kill him. Yet."

"What are they waiting for?" Tears fell down her face.

"They're waiting for you." Davis entered the room. "It's time." His eyes surveyed the humans before him. "We can't be late." Ravin stepped in-between him and Beth and Talbot. "Ravin?"

"You said the humans would not be harmed. That was the deal."

"You won't be harmed, or him." He pointed at Talbot. "But I have plans for her." He looked over his shoulder. "Nomin?"

"I won't let you take her and do only God knows what to her."

"I'm sorry to hear you say that, Ravin. You have been a big help in pushing my agenda forward."

Nomin stepped into the room. He walked in front of Davis and stared up at Ravin, and he took a fighting stance. His eyes caught Beth pulling Talbot away from them, and then his gaze rested on his opponent. And as Ravin launched fist after fist, he easily blocked his moves, and then he dropped to the floor, sending his leg spinning around and striking those steel legs. But Ravin did not fall.

Ravin picked up the small man and wrapped him in his strong arms. He tried to crush the body under his grip, but he held Nomin a small distance away to avoid being bit by those fangs. And he grabbed him by the neck in attempt to snap it, but he did not see a small, sliver of a knife slip down out of the vampire's sleeve. And as he pushed Nomin away from him, the blade was thrown right into his jugular.

Choking on his blood, Ravin fell to his knees. His gaze reflected the same horror that shone in Beth and Talbot's eyes. He ripped the knife out of his throat and dropped it to the floor, and he slowly struggled to get to his feet. But Nomin jumped into the air and spun his leg around, striking him in the head and breaking his neck, and Ravin's lifeless body fell backward against the floor.

Davis eyed the blood spilling out across the floor. His fangs grew larger, and he licked his lips. And his gaze moved up toward Beth and Talbot, and his fangs disappeared. "Bring them."

Nomin grabbed Beth and Talbot by the arms and pulled them out of the room. They did not put up much of a struggle, which was a disappointment to him. He wanted them to fight and to scream, but they did the opposite. And he forced them to follow Davis out of the room and down the hall.

**XXXII**

Cool air settled around the outside of the warehouse. A full moon slipped in and out of the clouds. A small mouse ran for its life along the grass, but a moment later, it was swooped up into the claw of an owl, who continued to fly away. And dirt crunched under the tires of several black vehicles.

Exiting one SUV, Davis wore a bulletproof vest. A bandage decorated one side of his head. His eyes took in the building before him, and his men exited out of the cars. He checked his gun to make sure it was loaded, and then his attention rested on an overturned car nearby.

"Talbot." He hurried over to the car, but nobody was found inside. "If Mick and Talbot are still alive, they're in there," he thought as he glanced over his shoulder at the warehouse. "Alright." He gathered his men around him. "We surround the perimeter, but nobody enters the premises until I give the sign. Understood?" He heard the grunts of approval and saw the nods. "Be prepared for anything. We're dealing with dangerous hostiles, and they have hostages including Talbot. Let's try not to have a blood bath on our hands." He paused for a long moment, studying the faces before him. "How many of us are walking away from this?" He shook the question away from his mind. "Alright. Move out."

A small unit of five men positioned themselves behind Davis. They edged closer to the warehouse. Their eyes scanned all corners of the area, looking for signs of life, but even if not a soul was seen, it didn't mean that the danger was gone. And they wouldn't take any chances not with these individuals that they were about to face.

**XXXIII**

Mick was dragged toward the center of the warehouse. His hands were chained behind him with silver that was moistened in holy water, and his flesh simmered under their binds. But he still twisted his wrists, trying to break free.

His gaze rested on eight vampires all dressed in black. They stood in a circle with their backs to him. He was led into the center by another vampire and pushed to the floor next to Josef, and his eyes grew wide at the stake still sticking out of his chest. He jumped to his feet, but the vampire's fist met his face, knocking him back down.

"Mick St. John." The vampires parted for Davis to walk into the circle. "How good is it to see you again after all these years?" Nomin stepped behind him with Beth and Talbot still in his grip. "How are you doing? Really?"

"Let them go, Davis. This is between you and me." He felt the chains loosen around his wrists. "They don't need to be a part of this."

"He doesn't." Davis pointed at Talbot. "But I would like to have him for dinner." His eyes rested on Beth. "And her? Well, I'll get to her in a moment." He moved closer to Mick. "The future is about to happen, Mick, and I am ready to forgive you for nearly killing me. All you have to do is to join me."

"I don't think so."

"You were always stubborn." Davis moved away from him. "It's a shame, but you probably have no idea what is actually going on here."

"Well, why don't you tell me?" His eyes fell on Josef. "And why don't you pull that stake out of his chest?"

"Oh, I'll get to him. Trust me." Davis snapped his fingers, and a thin vampire walked into the circle. "Meet Doctor Useff. Doctor Useff is a chemist, who has ingeniously created new weapons to render a vampire unconscious like that spray you experienced, so we do not have to resort to barbaric ways such as a stake through the chest." He ripped the stake out of Josef's chest.

"Breathe, Josef." He edged closer to his friend. "Breathe."

"That's not funny," Josef coughed.

"Doctor Useff has also created a new form of blood that makes us stronger, faster, and maybe even invulnerable. His formula uses blood type O, which I think is her blood type." He looked over at Beth. "Anyway, with chemical compounds and some extra ingredients, you create a market, a company that would benefit greatly from these discoveries."

"Extra ingredients?" Josef struggled to sit up. "Are we talking about what you were doing before Mick and I stopped you?" Davis glared at him. "You're using the blood of children again, aren't you?"

"You know me too well, old friend." He held his hand out toward Josef. "But you heard this speech before." Josef took his hand and was pulled to his feet. "Sorry about the stake in the chest, but it was essential at the time."

"Josef?" The color drained from Beth's face.

"You bastard!" Mick jumped to his feet, but two vampires grabbed him and pinned him down on his knees. "How could you! You know what he is capable of!"

"Calm down, Mick." Davis dropped his hands on Josef's shoulders. "Josef here already paid for his attempt on my life." His grip tightened on Josef. "Didn't you, Josef?" He looked away from Davis. "That girl… The one in the coma that he loved so much?" Josef closed his eyes. "Well, she's dead. Officially." Davis rubbed a finger against his fang. "And Josef here did want to kill me after he found out that I was responsible, but I brought him around." He leaned closer against him. "I made him a promise."

"Yeah. What was that?"

"That I wouldn't kill you." Davis stared down at Mick. "You'll be free to go when this is all over." He moved away from Josef. "But you do need to be punished for what you did to me." He looked over his shoulder, and Nomin pushed Beth out into the circle. "Your punishment, Mick will be to watch me turn Beth Turner."

"No!" Mick struggled to his feet, but the vampires held him down. "No! Kill me! Take my life not hers!" Talbot stared at him in confusion, but then realization etched across his face. "Kill me!"

"But I promised Josef that I wouldn't, and even if I were to break that promise, I would still turn her." He grabbed hold of Beth. "She's too beautiful just to kill."

"That wasn't the agreement, Davis." Josef took a step toward him. "You promised that they both would not be killed." A vampire grabbed Josef. "You gave me your word!"

"Silly boy. I'm not going to kill her. I'm going to give her the greatest gift in the world. Immortality." His fangs grew larger. "She'll live forever, and maybe it will be a happy ending after all with her and Mick, if he plays ball." He pushed Beth's hair away from her neck. "What do you say, Mick? Join me, and I'll allow Beth to stay with you."

"If you don't turn her."

"Sorry. I can't do that." His fangs etched closer to her skin. "She's going to be one of us."

His fangs dug into her skin, and Beth's eyes locked with Mick. Blood dripped down her back as Mick struggled to break free. Tears ran down her face as Mick screamed, and Josef struggled to break free from the vampire that was holding him. And as Davis leaned his head back, ready to plunge his fangs deeper into her, a scream rang out throughout the warehouse.

"Stop!" Everyone turned to see Lily standing near them. "Enough, Davis. Let her go."

"About time you showed up." Davis pushed Beth to the ground in front of her. "What took you so long?" Josef stared at her, and Lily returned his gaze. "Answer me!"

"It's over, Davis. You're not walking out of here."

"Says the apparition."

"Please. We both know what I am capable of."

"Oh, yes, I remember." He took a step toward her. "I remember that small group of drug addicts that I stumbled across, trying to stay alive, and I fed on your friends. And then when it was your turn, you started to spot predictions, and I realized that you were a find." He took another step toward her. "How could you leave me like that? I got you clean, fed and sheltered, and I never threatened your life again."

"Because you were dangerous. Because of what you did."

"No, Lily. It was all because of you. You led me to Doctor Useff. You told me what he was going to do. Hell, you even wrote that list of names, telling me that those vampires were going to be a threat to me." His gaze moved over to Mick. "But I did add one name." He looked back at her. "All this would not have been possible, if it were not for you, so thank you, Lily. Thank you."

"If I come back, would you let them go?" Her eyes fell on Talbot, Beth, Mick, and finally Josef. "Would you let them go?"

"If I had all of you back, yes." His hands reached out toward her but slipped through her pale skin. "Just tell me where you are."

"It won't work." Davis spun around toward Talbot. "She's in a coma."

"Talbot, what are you doing?" Beth stared at him in shock. "She's trying to save our lives."

"It won't work." Talbot struggled to move away from Nomin. "The reason you couldn't find her was because she was in a car accident, and her file was listed under the wrong last name. Only her description led me to her, and she's been comatose for about a year or so. So, you can't get her back."

"And why are you telling me this?" Mick felt the chains break apart. "Are you trying to stay alive?" Davis walked toward him. "Is that it?"

"It would be in your best interest to keep me breathing." Out of the corner of his eye, Talbot saw something move past the window. "You'd be a fool to kill me. I could get you information."

"Like what?" Davis now stood before him.

"Like tonight's the last night of your life, you sonofabitch."

Glass windows erupted into shards. Small, black cans fell to the floor, flash grenades, and a blinding light enveloped the space moments later. And men in S.W.A.T. uniform dropped from the ceiling and into the warehouse, and more uniformed men led by Davis stormed through the doors of the building.

"Freeze!" Despite the word that echoed from his lips, Davis froze when all he saw were a sea of razor sharp fangs. "Oh, shit."

Vampires launched themselves at the police officers. Mick grabbed Beth and tried to pull her to safety. Talbot elbowed Nomin in the face and broke free from his grip, but just as he started to move away, a spin kick from Nomin knocked him to the floor, unconscious. Josef bit the hand that was holding him and spun around to snap the vampire's neck, and Davis was left, taking in all the chaos that now surrounded him.

"Get to the trucks," Davis snapped at a few vampires nearby. "Get the containers and the doctor out of here!" He watched three of them break away from the fighting and grab the doctor, who cowered in a corner nearby. "Go!" He watched them move toward a large truck. "Damn you, Lily," he hissed. "When I find you, I'll make you suffer."

"You'll never get that chance." Mick stood behind him. "This ends tonight, Davis."

"Who's going to stop me? You?" Davis laughed. "I'm a lot stronger than you remember."

"Give me your best shot."

A strong kick landed against Mick's back, sending him flying forward into Davis's arms, and Davis easily caught him and flipped around toward Nomin. With a shove, Mick was pushed forward, and Nomin did another spin kick, striking him in the face. And Mick fell against the ground as Davis slipped away.

Just as Nomin was about to do another spin kick, Josef grabbed hold of him and sent him flying against a wall. "Go." He turned toward Mick. "I got this." He watched Mick nod and then move away. "I think." He turned toward Nomin.

Police officers and vampires struggled with each other. Guns fired rounds into bodies, but their wounds healed. And fangs dug into flesh, producing screams as others resorted to using silver knives to fight, and it looked like the vampires were winning.

Beth tried to make a move toward Talbot, who lied in the center of the battle, but as she reached him, Davis grabbed her by the throat. His eyes found Mick, who was moving toward them, and he pulled Beth back toward the edge of the warehouse. He wouldn't go down without a fight, and he would take her down with him.

Josef fell against the ground hard and struggled to get up, but Nomin landed on top of him. He dug his fingers into the hole in Josef's chest, sending pain throughout his body, and Josef screamed. And a flash of metal caught his eye as a knife slid out of Nomin's sleeve and aimed for his throat, but Josef grabbed hold of the metal, which sliced his hands. With all his strength, he pulled the blade from Nomin and spun it around, plunging it into the vampire's throat, and Nomin fell against him. And part of the blade struck him below the neck, but he still struggled to move the dead vampire off of him.

One of the trucks tried to make a run for it, but Davis aimed for the tires. Bullets tore rubber, and the truck spun wildly against the exit. Metal crashed against wood, forcing the truck's back doors to fly open. And a box fell from the back, and a container escaped out onto the floor.

With Beth in his grip, Davis was about to slip out of the warehouse, but Mick grabbed hold of him, forcing him to release Beth. And Davis and Mick wrestled with each other. Fangs snapped at the other, and flesh was torn. And blood spilled out as the vampires continued to overcome the other.

"Mick," Beth whispered as she watched the fight.

Mick was gaining the upper hand in the fight, and Davis knew it. The two of them studied the other, anticipating their next move, and they ran toward each other. Fists raised high, and fangs razor sharp. And as they grabbed hold of each other, Davis pulled a thin sliver of a knife moistened with holy water out of his pocket.

Mick forced him backward, drawing blood. He struck Davis again and again, who again staggered back. He raised his arm to hit him once more, and Davis spun around with his blade in hand. And he slit Mick's throat.

Davis watched Mick stumble backward, grabbing his throat. Blood flowed through his hands. His mouth hung open as he tried to speak, and Beth screamed. It was a beautiful sight, but then a stake plunged through his chest, forcing him to the ground.

"How do you like it, you sonofabitch?" Josef pushed the stake further into him and then wrapped his hands around Davis's neck, snapping it in half. "Mick?" His gaze fell on his friend, who was now lying on his back, bleeding out.

"Mick!" Beth ran to his side and tried to stop the bleeding. "Please, hold on. Please." Tears fell down her face as she looked at Josef. "Don't leave me, Mick. Do not leave me!" She watched tears escape from his eyes. "Just hold on." Josef leaned down next to her and helped her try to stop the bleeding.

"Hold on, Mick." Mick started to close his eyes. "Hold on!"

Raising his head off the floor, Talbot struggled to stand. Every inch of his body hurt, but he forced himself to his feet. He heard screams around him, but he also heard someone say, "Hold on." And his attention fell on Beth and Josef, who were hunched over Mick.

"Talbot!" Davis was trying to move toward him, but a vampire knocked him down. "Talbot! Move!"

A bottle of red liquid rolled by, and without thinking, Talbot ran after it. He caught the glass container in his hands and moved toward Mick, but a vampire stepped in his way. He readied himself for the fight, but a sea of bullets struck the vampire, forcing him out of the way. And Talbot moved faster, knowing that time was about to run out.

"Mick…" Beth leaned back against Josef and started to cry.

"I'm sorry, Beth." He rested his head against her. "He's gone." Talbot landed hard beside Mick and opened the bottle. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Didn't you hear what Davis said about this stuff?" He started to pour the red liquid down Mick's mouth. "Beth, press your hand against his throat, or this will spill right out." Beth did as she was told. "We can save him."

"It's too late. He's gone." Josef laid a gentle hand on Talbot's, but he pulled his hand away. "It's too late."

"I don't buy that for a minute." The bottle was now empty. "Nobody said vampires were real, and here we are." He could hear the fighting dying out around him. "Anything is possible."

"Please, Mick." Beth kissed his face. "Please, come back to me." She felt the wound in his neck heal. "Mick?"

Mick's eyes flashed open, and he started to cough. His eyes met Talbot's, and then his gaze moved from Josef to Beth. And he pulled Beth into his arms and held her tight, and he could feel her crying shake her body. And she was still alive. She was still human. "Thank you." He looked at Talbot. "Thank you."

Vampires and police officers approached them. Their gaze fell upon Davis, and then they glanced at each other. Nobody said a word for a long moment. All they heard was the crying of one woman that nearly lost the love of her life.

"What happened here was tragic." Josef rose from the ground. "Vampires fighting humans? All we wanted was to be left alone and have nobody know that we existed, but some of us thought different." His eyes fell upon the body of Davis. "And now you all know what we are and that vampires are real." He looked at the lieutenant. "You could tell the whole world, if you want. That will be left up to you, but we'll clean up our own mess." His eyes fell on the vampires still standing. "And if you want us to leave the city, we will leave it."

"Then leave it." Davis glared at him. "I'll give you one day." Josef nodded. "But nobody will breathe a word about what happened here tonight." He turned to look at his men, who stood beside him. "Or there will be consequences to pay." He watched his men nod. "You have our word on that."

"And you have mine that we will be gone after tomorrow." Josef watched Davis walk away.

"How do you kill a ghost?" Lily appeared behind him.

Josef's back stiffened, and he hesitated before he turned around. His eyes met hers, and no words were exchanged for a long moment. Finally, he cleared his throat and was about to speak when she spoke first.

"Pull the plug," she whispered in his ear, and she disappeared.

Josef looked at Beth and Mick, who continued to hold each other. Their eyes met his, and Talbot sat back, also staring at him. Slowly, he turned away and started to leave the warehouse.

"Josef?" Mick moved toward him. "Are you okay?" Concern filled his eyes. "I know what she meant to you. It's the same for Beth."

"Do you forgive me?" Mick smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

"Where are you going?"

"I have something to take care of before I leave." His gaze settled on Beth. "I never wanted her to be harmed or you."

"I know."

"I'll see you around." He didn't wait for Mick to say anything else and left.

"Where's he going?"

"I don't know." Mick stared after his friend.

"Mick." He looked at Beth. "Are you really leaving?" His gaze shifted up toward Talbot, who slowly nodded. "Are you?"

"Yes."

"Then, take me with you."

"I can't take you away from your life here."

"My life is with you." She grabbed hold of his hands. "My place is with you."

"But I can't turn you, Beth."

"I don't have to be a vampire to love you, Mick." He looked away. "Did you hear me?" His eyes returned to her. "I love you." He gently touched the side of her face. "With all my heart." Tears fell from her eyes. "And I won't let you leave me behind."

"I guess I don't have a choice." A smile spread across his face, and he embraced her in his arms. "I love you too." He closed his eyes. "With all my heart."

Talbot moved away from them. His gaze found Davis watching Beth and Mick from a distance. He looked over his shoulder at the human and vampire, and his heart quickened in beat. And he approached Davis. "Does he have to leave?"

"No vampires in the city, Talbot. That's the deal for their secrecy." Davis sighed. "I'd make an exception for St. John, but that may not sit well with my guys. As it is, we're calling in help for the wounded and the dead."

"What about the dead vampires?"

"I'm having my men burn their bodies now to cover up the evidence. What went down here is just paperwork."

"And the questions that we'll be asked?"

"We won't answer them." Davis walked away from Talbot.

Talbot looked back at Mick and Beth, who continued to hold each other. Tears ran down their faces, and love shined in their eyes. He wished he could help them, but maybe the best thing for them was to leave, to start over. And he silently wished them good luck.

**XXXIV**

The beating of a heart monitor echoed throughout a small, dark room. Sharp sounds of air escaped through the respirator. An IV dripped liquids through an intravenous. Tubes and wires crisscrossed along a small, thin body.

Josef gazed down at Lily. His eyes then moved over to the machines, and he watched her heartbeat race across the screen. She knew he was there, and she was waiting. But he couldn't pull the plug.

Instead, he walked over to the door and closed it, and the lock slid into place. He pushed a few machines aside to get closer to her. His fingers gently touched her face, and the respirator continued to pump air into her body. But then he disconnected the machine and pulled the long tube out of her throat, and he leaned closer to see if she would breathe on her own. But she didn't.

Resting his head against hers, he pushed her hair away from her neck. His fingers lingered on her face, and he admired her beauty. And he kissed the space between her neck and shoulder, and his fangs bit down, deep into the flesh. And blood softly dripped down onto the mattress.

He could hear the flatline on the machine, but he did not care. He heard the nurse wrestle with the door, banging against it with her hand, but she wouldn't get in. He sensed the body giving in to death, and he finally pulled away. And he bit open his wrist to drip his blood down into her mouth, and when he was sure enough had slipped down her throat, he stepped back, waiting to see if anything would happen.

After a long moment, Lily began to stir with new life, and her body slowly lifted upward against the mattress. Her eyes were pure white, but she could still sense him. She struggled to get free from all the wires and tubes that wrapped around her, and Josef moved to her side to help. And her hand paused along his arm. "Why?"

"I couldn't pull the plug." Josef stared at her. "Can you see?"

"I can, and I can't." He helped her out of bed. "The security guard is going to open the door, and we can't be here when he does." She moved toward the window.

"I guess you never lost your second sight."

"I guess not." Josef picked her up into his arms. "Where are you taking me?"

"Away from here."

The security guard forced the door open, and the nurse ran in behind him. They looked at the machines and the empty bed, and a cold breeze floated in through the open window. Moving over to it, the nurse looked outside for a moment, and then she shut the window. She shared the same look of confusion on the guard's face, and they slowly exited the room.

**XXXV**

The sun rose high in the sky. People roamed the streets, lost in their lives. Cars took to the streets, and life seemed ordinary. But the remains of chaos from the night before still lingered along some memories.

Talbot sat in one interrogation room while Davis was held in another. The two men were bombarded with questions that they couldn't answer, and they contributed their loss of memory to the injuries that they sustained. But they did recount events that led up to the sting operation that had gone south, but they made sure not to mention Mick St. John or Beth Cooper.

In the end, both men were free to go. However, Davis would be suspended without pay, and Talbot's career was over. But before the interrogations began, both men had agreed that their silence would guarantee the safety of the city, and the residents would never have to know that vampires once walked among them. This place would become a haven to the undead no longer, and if that meant their jobs, then so be it.

**XXXVI**

The Cleaners were busy at work. Trucks were loaded with containers of red substance and driven out of the city. They wiped down every inch of the warehouse, making sure that if anyone came poking around that there would not be even the slightest hint of what had gone down there, and they cleared out Davis's office with his documents and research. And once satisfied with their task, they took Doctor Useff and drove off into the distance.

**XXXVII**

Empty space decorated Josef's office. There were no ringing phones, no vampires demanding answers because they were all gone, and they had broken away into other parts of the world. And he was left alone, standing by his large window, and his eyes took in the city before him one final time.

Lily walked up behind him and looked at the glass. Her white eyes tried to take in the beauty that he was seeing, but she felt it. And she knew the sadness weighing down on his heart.

Gently, he took her by the hand and pointed at a few buildings. He described them in great detail and smiled as she smiled. His face lingered close to hers, and again he breathed in her beauty. He missed the love of his life, but he found a new light to keep him from getting lost in the dark.

"Shall we go?" She gazed at him. "Or should we wait until the sun sets?"

"No, we can go." He led her away from the window. "Have you decided where you would like to go?"

"Anywhere you go." His hand tightened around hers. "Just lead the way." His smile reflected hers, and they slowly exited the office.

**XXXVIII**

Beth stood in front of her bedroom window. She stared out at the sun, gently rubbing the bite mark on her neck. She was almost turned, and part of her still wanted to be. But human or vampire, it wouldn't stop Mick from loving her or leaving her behind.

Turning away from the sunlight, she found him in the living room, resting. The shades were pulled tightly together, denying the sun entrance into the room. Covers were tossed around him, and he stretched out on the couch. And she crept closer, seeing if he was awake.

As her fingers reached out toward him, he grabbed her by the hand. His eyes met hers. A smile touched his lips, and he gently pulled her closer until she was in his arms. And he held her tight. "I almost lost you," he whispered.

"I know." Her head rested against his chest. "Would it have been so bad, if I was turned?" She looked up into his eyes. "Won't there come a time when you may have to turn me?" He stroked the side of her face. "Mick."

"I don't know." He continued to gaze at her. "If that time comes, then let it come, but for right now, there is nothing more that would make me happy than having you stay as you are."

"And who am I?"

"The one that has stolen my heart." He kissed her on the lips. "The one I entrust my life to."

"Ditto." He laughed at her response. "Do we have to leave the city?" He nodded. "Where will we go?"

"Josef mentioned a few places." He fell quiet for a moment. "I hope he's okay."

"I know how much he loved her." Beth leaned against his chest. "I can't believe Davis killed her, and Josef betrayed us to save our lives."

"He's a good friend." Mick sighed. "I just hope he finds someone else to love like he did with her."

"Only time will tell." Beth leaned against him.

"Is there anywhere that you want to go?"

"No. I'll go where you go." Beth lifted her face into his. "Just lead the way." They kissed deeply.

"Well, we don't have to leave right this minute." Mick smiled at her.

"I see." She returned his smile. "You have a filthy mind."

"What can I say? You bring out the worse in me." They rolled off the couch and started to laugh.

Mick lied on top of Beth. His hands folded over his. His eyes held hers. Slowly, he leaned down, and his lips found hers. And he lifted his head to once more gaze into her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you." Beth stared up at him. "Forever." As Mick kissed her passionately, she reached over to throw the covers over them.

The darkness settled around them, washing away a life that once was, and their heart and soul became one. An unknown future waited somewhere in the distance, but a new chapter was slowly being written. And once the city was left behind, they would let go of their past and walk ahead, hand in hand, together, but the story of their love would remain behind, a whisper along the city streets, and a tale told from the lips of vampires for all eternity.


End file.
